What We Learned From Those ‘Cursed Child’ Cast Photos

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In preparation for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’s first preview performance on June 7th, Pottermore released a string of posts starring our favorite Hogwarts students all grown up with families of their own.

J.K. Rowling’s The Cursed Child will officially hit the stage on July 31st, and will follow Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger along with their children, as they manage the ups and downs of the post-Voldemort wizarding world. The synopsis for the show states:

It’s always been difficult being Harry Potter, but it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted.

As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Even with the story spelled out for us, some fans are still finding it difficult to wrap their heads around the fact that Harry is truly back, and that soon countless questions will be answered regarding the world we’ve obsessed over for years.

Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for certain questions to be answered, because along with the magical cast photos shared this week, Pottermore shared several tidbits of information to wet our whistles until the show premieres and fans can get their hands on a copy of the script for themselves.

J.K. Rowling 100% Sees Jamie Parker As Harry Potter

It’s hard to imagine just anyone stepping into the shoes of “The Boy Who Lived”, but J.K. Rowling herself is quoted saying, “He simply is Harry now. There’s a kind of relief in watching him, he gets it so right.”

It’s truly amazing to see Parker donning Harry’s token glasses, with that undeniable lightning bolt scar drawn onto his forehead. This is Harry Potter in his 40’s, a story fans never believed they would ever hear about, let alone from Rowling, the mastermind herself.

The First Time We See Albus He’ll be in His Hogwarts Robes

Albus Severus Potter is the cursed child, the namesake of the story, which leads us to believe that much of the play will revolve around his struggles as a young wizard. Actor Sam Clemmett, who portrays Albus in the show, told Pottermore that the first time we see his character on stage he’ll be clothed in Hogwarts robes, redesigned for his generation of students.

If Albus’ premiere moment in the story involves his Hogwarts robes (hand-me-downs from James, perhaps?), there’s a possibility that we may see the popular school for witchcraft and wizardry earlier on in the show than previously imagined.

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

It must be difficult living up to expectations of the magical society when your mother is Hermione Granger, but plenty of signs point to Rose Granger-Weasley rising as the brightest witch of her age. “Rose is like her mother, but more secure, more grounded,” J.K. Rowling said. “She was born to wizards and knows her place in the world.”

Rowling also notes that she’s happy with Cherelle Skeete’s performance as the young witch, “Cherrelle plays her perfectly: bossy but deeply loveable.”

Ron Weasley Is Still, Well, Ron Weasley

Ron’s never really been known for quick wit, charisma, or a sense of style, and according to the actor bringing him to life this summer, not much has changed regarding Ron’s attitude and wardrobe. Paul Thornley said, “He wants to essentially be comfortable at all times, hence comfortable cords, comfortable jumper, comfortable shoes. I don’t believe he’s a man who spends an awful lot of time shopping.”

Other than his love of comfortable sweaters, J.K. Rowling told Pottermore that the Ron we’ll see on stage is the same Ron we read on the page, “Except that his feet hurt a bit more.”

The Malfoy’s Are Still Filthy Rich

Speaking about his character’s school robes, Anthony Boyle is quoted saying that Scorpius’ particular set was created to look expensive, but constraining, “to make him feel a bit awkward.” It’s possible that Scorpius doesn’t see his family fortune as a positive thing, as his father Draco did during his days at Hogwarts.

As an added bonus, the Twitter account for the play shared this behind the scenes video, showing the cast as they stood for their character portraits.